Clamp



e 25,1945 l F. c. WALLACE 2,391,604

` CLAMP Filed NOV. 20, 1944:v

INVENTOR. Ell-:117k C affczcfE:

BY l

Patented Dec. 25, 19.45

CLAMP Frank C. Wallace, North Hollywood, Calif., as-

signor to Herman H. Helbush, Los Angeles,

Calif.

Application November 20, 1944, SerialNo. 564,327

Claims.

My invention relates to clamps, having as an object the provision of a clamp or clamping wrench embodying novel and convenient means of adjustment of the clamping jaws.

Another object is the provision of a clamp which, by virtue of its simplicity of construction, may be economically made and assembled.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a clamp which is extremely simple of .operation and efficient in its clamping action.

My invention possesses still further features of novelty and advantage which will become apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section taken on line l-I of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the device in another position;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View;

Fig. 4 is a .section on line ll-lv of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an end view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. l; and

Fig. v6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

I wish it understood, however, that the herein specifically illustrated and described example of my invention is to be considered as illustrative and is not limitative of the broader scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.

Referring now to the drawing I show the clamp body 5 as comprising a channel iron member having parallel, laterally and forwardly projecting arms 6 forming jaw-retaining members, between which a jaw 'l is disposed and secured by means of rivet 8. The jaw 1 has a front workengaging surface 'la and an integral portion 1b which fits between the arms 6.

Longitudinally slidably mounted in the channel of body 5 there is a companion clamping element lil which is likewise of channel iron having formed integral with each of its sides a lateral, forwardly disposed arm Il, the two arms being parallel. Between the parallel arms Il there is secured the other jaw element l5 having a work-engaging surface 15a and a portion Ib fitting between the arms and secured thereto as by a rivet I6.

An actuating lever 20, likewise channel-shaped in cross section, is pivoted at one end to the body 5, between the side Walls thereof, by means of pivot pin 22, the lever being swingable between the positions of Figs. 1 and 2.

To adjust the clamping elements I pivotally secure at one end to the lever, adjacent the pivot pin 22 and by means of a cross pin 23, a screw 3l), which screw threadedly engages in the internally threaded nut 35. The nut is round in cross section, having an end portion a projectl ing from an end of the body for manual rotation, and has an annular groove 35D Within which a collar fits to journal the nut for axial rotation, the collar being in the form of a split sleeve having ears 4| pivotally secured to the body by a pivot pin 45.

The pivot pins 22, and 23 are so relatively positioned that when the lever 2B is in its extreme downward or clamping position, the pivot 23 will be offset below the plane of a line running directly between pivot pins 22 and G5, so that the clamp is therefore retained in clamping position.

Operation of the device is as follows: If it be desired to clamp together sheets having, say, a combined thickness of one inch, the lever may be swung to the position of Fig. 1, which is its lowermost position, and the nut 35 rotated until the member I D is either drawn inwardly of the body or protracted outwardly therefrom until jaws l, l5 are spaced apart one inch, which position will be denoted by registration of the forward end of the body with the scale indicia 5l! provided on the side of member I0. Then by lifting the lever, the member l!! will be protracted from the body to further space apart the jaws, the lever eecting this by pulling the member lll outwardly through the medium of the screw 30 and nut 35. In this position the work to be clamped may be inserted between the jaws. Then by pressing the lever towards the handle the member l0 will be retracted into the body, clamping the work between the jaws, in which position the device is retained by virtue of the offset position which the pivot 23 occupies when the lever is in its lowermost position as above described.

I claim:

1. A clamp comprising a body presenting a laterally disposed jaw portion, a clamping element having an elongated portion longitudinally slidably mounted in the body and a lateral jaw portion disposed opposite the rst-mentioned jaw portion, a lever pivotally secured at one end to the body, a screw pivotally secured to the lever, and a nut pivotally and rotatably carried by the clamping element, said nut threadedly engaging the screw.

2. A clamp comprising a body presenting a laterally disposed jaw portion, a clamping element having an elongated portion longitudinally slidably mounted in the body and a, lateral jaw portion disposed opposite the rst-mentioned jaw portion, a lever pivotally secured at one end to the body, a screw pivotally secured to the lever, a collar pivotally secured to the elongated portion of the clamping element, and a nut threadedly engaging the screw and having an annular groove between its ends journaled for rotation in the collar.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the point of the pivotal connection of the screw to the lever is such, inrelation to the point of the pivotal connection of the lever to the body and point of pivotal connection to the collar of the clamping element, that when the lever is in its lowermost position the point of pivotal connection of the screw to the lever will be offset below the plane of a line extending between said other pivotal points.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the nut has an end portion projecting outwardly from the end of the body.

5. A clamp comprising a channel body having formed integral with its side walls a. pair of laterally disposed arms, a channel clamping element longitudinally slidably mounted in the channel of the body and having a pair of laterally disposed arms, jaw members secured between each of the respective pairs of arms, a lever pivotally connected at its inner end to the body, a screw pivotally connected at one end to the lever adjacent the pivotal connection of the lever to the body, a collar pivotally secured to the body, and a nut threadedly engaging the screw and having an annular channeled portion journaled for rotation in the collar.

FRANK C. WALLACE. 

